Vol. 12, No. 12 
Page 2 
2. A 2.25-mile segment of roadside, north of Strawn, where the existing 
vegetation composed primarily of bluegrass ( Poa spp.), some K-31 fescue 
(Festuca sp.), and forbs was left unmowed from the ditch to the fence. Portions 
of this segment were fertilized at the beginning of the study and some portions 
were sprayed in an attempt to control broadleaf weeds during the summer of 1968; 
all of the segment was treated for weed control in 1969. 
The highway was driven at periodic intervals in an attempt to detect any 
differences in the frequency of pheasant roadkills adjacent to the unmowed 
segments as compared with nearby control miles where normal mowing practices 
were carried out. During 1969> only 3^ roadkilled pheasants were found. This 
is a substantially smaller annual sample than is desired to make a valid 
statistical test of the effect of unmowed roadside seedings on the frequency of 
pheasant roadkills. 
The brome-alfalfa seedings can be considered a success. During the summer 
of 1969. the seeded segments presented a relatively weed-free, uniform, and 
pleasing appearance. This opinion is shared by personnel from the Ottawa office 
as well as by the highway maintenance crews in Gibson City. No complaints from 
farm operators or the motoring public about the unmowed condition of the seeded 
roadsides have, to the knowledge of the investigator, been received. A proposal 
for expansion of this phase of the project has been submitted to the Division of 
Highways. 
The 2.25-mile segment with unmowed existing vegetation presented some 
problems. The fertilizer application to some plots has had no visible effect on 
the vegetation; thus the stand of grasses did not benefit to the extent of a 
reduction in the occurrence of broadleaf weeds. Spraying for broadleaf weeds 
has also proved less than satisfactory. As a result, much of this segment has 
had an undesirable appearance, with attendant protests from some farm operators. 
Improved equipment and application techniques, and utilization of different 
chemicals, may increase the efficiency of the weed-control program. However, a 
review of this phase of the project by cooperating agencies is recommended. 
3. Factors Influencinq Distribution and Abundance of Pheasants W. L. Anderson, 
D. R. Vance 
Although the studies of possible effects of inorganic ions on the 
distribution and abundance of pheasants in Illinois have involved analyzing 
various materials (soil, grit, corn, and pheasant tissues) for 22 to 62 chemical 
elements, several important elements have not been included in the analyses for 
one reason or another. One of these is sulfur, an essential major element. 
Therefore, 10 samples each of soil, unsorted grit (all grit 2-6 mm in diameter 
that occurred in soil), and calcitic grit (grit that is predominantly calcium 
carbonate) from Sibley (good pheasant range) and corresponding samples of these 
materials from Neoga (poor range) were analyzed for sulfur. This element 
averaged 335+26 and 358+22 ppm in soil, 251+26 and V:-3+63 ppm in unsorted grit, 
and 557+^2 and 63^+76 ppm i n cal c i t ic gr i t in samples from Sibley and Neoga, 
respectively. These findings suggest that inorganic sulfur is not deficient 
in poor pheasant range in Illinois. 
